At least six distinct varieties grown in Italy are known principally as Trebbiano, including Trebbiano Toscano, whose national total of 22,702 ha/56,098 acres in 2010 made it one of the most planted white wine grapes in Italy. Next most planted, largely in Emilia-Romagna, on 15,893 ha was the remarkably similar Trebbiano Romagnolo. Trebbiano Giallo is found on 10,663 ha, particularly in Lazio, and Trebbiano Spoletino is an Umbrian speciality grown on 200 ha. Trebbiano Modenese is grown on 363 ha and is associated with production of the local vinegar while Trebbiano d’Abruzzese (also known as Trebbiano Abruzzo although this is actually the name of the wine) is quite unrelated to any other Trebbiano (see abruzzo). Meanwhile, many an Italian synonym incorporates the word Trebbiano, most notably Trebbiano di Soave, Trebbiano di Lugana, and Trebbiano Valtenesi, which are all the Marche grape verdicchio. There are almost as many possible histories of Trebbiano as there are different varieties called Trebbiano (the index of Wine Grapes has no fewer than 28 entries for grape names beginning with Trebbiano). The Bolognese agronomist petrus de crescentiis certainly described a vine called Tribiano as early as 1303, but which? Today, Trebbiano is planted all over Italy (with the exception of the cool far north), to the extent that it is likely that the great majority of basic vino bianco will contain at least some of the variety, if only to add acidity and volume.
